Mataking location map. Source: http://www.mataking.com/location.html

Whilst the rest of the group left on buses headed for the Tawau airport, the BF and myself stayed behind in Semporna waiting to board yet another speed boat to take us to Mataking. It felt GOOD that we didn't have to go back with the rest of the gloomy faces but I knew that when the time came for us to head back, it would be twice as hard.

Reception and restaurant view from the jetty Source: http://www.mataking.com/photo.html

Mataking is a small island, about 45 minutes by speedboat from Semporna, about 1.5 hours from Sipadan. There is only one resort on the island, the Reef Dive Resort... a lovely, LOVELY place and after the hustle and bustle of Sipadan Water Village, it was a welcome relief. To start off with, we didn't have a "full to capacity" boat trip on the way over... there were only two other passengers on the boat, these two Italians who didn't speak English. When we got there, there weren't hoards of people at the jetty... instead there were 2 or 3 porters and the assistant resort manager. It was lovely.

Whilst waiting to check in and sign the mandatory dive forms (basically forms which waive your right to sue the resort if anything should happen to you and yes, you are a certified diver, a responsible diver etc), we were served a lovely concoction of freshly squeezed juice. Then, we were shown our rooms. Unlike SWV, there are only 20 rooms in Mataking, hence limiting the number of people staying at the resort. Whilst the resort has been in operation for a while, it is still under construction i.e. rooms were still being built when we were there, and the dive centre too. This resort is a work in progress. But unlike the construction process on the mainland, we hardly heard any noise. Sure there were builders and construction material scattered around but we didn't hear anything, not even the generator or the compressor machine for the dive tanks. The quiet was heavenly.

Our room, complete with our own little bricked pavement Source: PufferGal Cam

Layout of the resort Source: PufferGal Cam

We had to walk a little way (about 7 mins) to get to our room. The layout of the resort is spread out so that privacy is ensured but the walk was well worth the effort. We stayed at a "deluxe" chalet which basically meant a row of rooms connected. There were the "Executive chalets", little raised individual bungalows with balconies facing the sea. Have you noticed how most hotels call their "normal" or "standard" rooms "deluxe rooms"?? Anyways, our room was HUGE, done completely in some sort of dark, thick wood. The BF liked the bathroom so much that he plans on doing up his one (he recently bought an apartment) to match it. But there were signs that the resort was new e.g. there were a few key items of furniture missing like a coffee table or deck chairs our in our own little garden etc. These items were evident in the "older" rooms. Also missing was a little mini fridge and shelves to put our clothes on. We had a cupboard and hangers but no shelves. But the place was too beautiful for us to care about little things such as those. We had no less than 8 french floor to ceiling type windows and an air conditioner AND a ceiling fan, not to mention many, many lights that could be dimmed.

Layout of the resort Source: PufferGal Cam

Fishy room names Source: PufferGal Cam

The designers of the resort went to a lot of trouble. They paid attention to little, little details e.g. the bricks that paved the walkway for the entire resort was carved and hand painted with a leafy motive, each tile being different from the next. The supporting beams at the restaurant was hand carved in wood, little bits of wooden carved art was strategically placed and there were even little signs with fishy names painted on it for each room (even though each room was numbered). They had spent a lot of effort in landscaping the resort and everything was well maintained. In fact, each morning we saw workers raking up the beach for "garbage" like sea weed and driftwood. One would do the raking, piling up the garbage in little piles whilst another, behind him would dig holes next to the little piles and bury it.

The staff there were so friendly... even the construction workers. They'd greet you everytime the pass you and the restaurant staff were helpful to a fault! Without asking, they'd bring you drinks, clear the tables etc. The place was truly lovely. We got there in time for lunch and after the abundance at SWV, the buffet table seems rather small at Mataking but we were in for a surprise!! The buffet may have been 25% the size of the one in SWV but my word, the food there was to die for!! It is NO exaggeration that we didn't like a single one of the dishes that was served. The food was a mixture of Asian and continental cuisine (it tickled me to no end that there were always french fries with breakfast and it always went fast) and believe me when I say that it was DELICIOUS!! They even had a little counter set up where you could mix your own salad dressing! And aside from the food being utterly DELICOUS, there was lots of it.

The sun deck Source: http://www.mataking.com/photo.html

It all starts with breakfast and then, if you are a diver, you are off for your first dive. After you come back, there is always some sort of snack waiting for you and it is always something freshly baked, like cakes. Every diver will tell you that after a dive, you get REALLY hungry. So, there is the snack. Then, after a decent surface interval, it is off for the 2nd dive, usually around 11am. Then you come back for lunch. Have a little siesta on the sun deck or under one of the many trees, snuggled up in a hammock and then it is off for your third dive of the day, usually around 3pm. You come back and there is yet another mouth watering snack waiting for you (different from the morning one), again, something freshly made. You fill your belly... head off to get cleaned up and rest a little and then it is time for dinner. OH, and just in case they don't stuff you enough, there is always bread (and the necessary condiments) and crackers on hand. Tea, coffee, ice cold water and mango cordial are always ready for your consumption. If I had to choose my favourite nourishment during the entire trip, it would definitely have been the CREAM CARAMEL.

Oh my gawd... I don't know what they do to that dish, what sort of magic they cast on it but my word, DELICIOUS doesn't even begin to describe it. And thankfully, they served it at almost every dinner time when I was there. It was so popular that one tray would NOT be enough... one slice is NOT enough. Even the BF who after my pestering him into trying some (he ain't a dessert kind of person) went and got himself a slice. I thought that if I stuffed my face full of it, I'd be sick of it by now but NOOOOO... this dessert was definitely made with help from the powers that be.

The resort even had its very own watch tower soaring some 25m up into the sky (a long climb and definitely not for those with vertigo) and a jacuzzi and spa centre. I think that the watch tower was built by the islands very own police as there is a police station right next to the resort. We were warned not to venture into "their territory" at night as there are fierce guard dogs but we didn't hear any barking. The reason why security is so tight on the island is because pirates have been known to roam the area and the island where tourists were kidnapped wasn't far from the resort.

The watch tower. APPARANTLY the police are on guard on the island keep watch up there in 6 hour shifts but when we were there, there wasn't anyone on guard. Other guests have reported sightings of these mysterious guards though. Source: http://www.mataking.com/photo.html	The BF in the watch tower overlooking Mataking Kecil (small island) which is accessible via the sand bar. Guests are warn of the tide though as it is possible to get stranded on the small island when it comes in. Source: PufferGal Cam
Sunset at Mataking Source: PufferGal Cam	The jacuzzi and spa centre. The jacuzzi was filled with hot, salt water and very refreshing. Guests are allowed to request either a hot or cold one. Source: http://www.mataking.com/photo.html

So, after we had lunch and caught up with a group of the BF's clients, we were off for our very first dive. Thankfully, we didn't have to do a check out dive as we had just come from Sipadan. Basically, a check out dive is for the dive master to ascertain if you can in fact dive and that your dive skills are up to scratch... it is common for divers to not dive for 6 or more months so it is kinda like a refresher... usually done in shallow waters. As we had proof (our dive logs and wet gear) that we had recently dived, there wasn't a need for a check out one. So off we went on our first boat dive and we were in for a nasty surprise.

Humans at Mataking

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